Moran feels Mayo still not the 'finished article'
Mayo manager Andy Moran believes his team is "not the finished article" despite their commanding 17-point victory over Louth, which secured their county's first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC) final appearance in five years.
This season, Moran has aimed to blend youth and experience, combining the promising talent of Kobe McDonald with seasoned players. Although Mayo stumbled in their Connacht semi-final against Roscommon, they have shown consistent improvement throughout the All-Ireland campaign. They now stand just 70 minutes away from potentially lifting the Sam Maguire Cup, facing either Kerry or Dublin, who will contest the second semi-final on Sunday at 16:00 BST.
The semi-final triumph was characterized by attacking flair and a determined effort to force turnovers, which led to all three of Mayo's goals, while effectively neutralizing Louth's offense.
Despite the impressive display, Moran feels there is still room for growth in his team.
"We have really good one to one defenders who are addicted to playing football and just want to learn," he said.
"We're not the finished article, so when the likes of young [Eoin] McGreal and these boys can play 55 minutes at 19 years of age in Croke Park, it makes a big difference.
"Ryan [O'Donoghue] up front, the likes of [Enda] Hession, Jack Coyne and Donnacha [McHugh] at the back - they are great leaders to have about the place."
Mayo power past Louth into All-Ireland final
Prior to the match, some narratives suggested Louth would dominate from kick-outs, which could significantly influence the game. However, Mayo more than held their own in this aspect, an area Moran felt "made a bit difference."
Additionally, the "talented boys in attack" energized the Mayo supporters in a packed Croke Park. The crowd, adorned in green and red, were vocally supportive well before the match began. For Moran, reigniting the county's voice after a five-year absence from the semi-final stage was the primary objective for the year, though the team aspires to achieve more.
"It's just great to see Mayo people back in Croke Park supporting the team," he added.
"A semi-final is for winning and to give yourself a chance to win the big prize in any competition.
"For us, we had an aim at the start of the year to get the Mayo crowd back supporting the team and I think that was answered today."
